1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the transportation of goods in containers by truck and, more specifically, to an adjustable tractor trailer chassis that is extendable to redistribute a container load during transit and which tilts to discharge a container at a destination point.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shipping containers are widely used at the present time for the transportation of freight goods. Containers are commonly routed from a factory to a train terminal or shipping dock by truck, removed from the truck and placed on a railroad flat car or into a ship's cargo hold, transported to a destination point, and then placed on another truck for further distribution.
Such containers can be quickly and efficiently secured to the truck chassis by means of standard locking bolts. Containers offer the advantage of securely packing goods and avoiding excessive handling which advantages cannot be obtained in the case of open packaging.
Shipping containers are generally available in various sizes ranging from about 20 to 40 feet in length. For transport by truck, each container generally requires a truck chassis of a corresponding length. Various local, state and federal regulations, including bridge laws, determine the maximum gross weight which is allowed for a given length trailer. The larger the container, the larger the trailer required. Larger trailers have a number of disadvantages, however, including increased cost and the fact that the longer chassis is difficult to handle and maneuver, especially in congested urban traffic.
A need exists, therefore, for a trailer which is economical to manufacture and which has a chassis which is simple to adjust for altering its length to accommodate longer and shorter loads.
A need also exists for a trailer which is extendable to redistribute the load of a container to the approximate midpoint of the trailer chassis whereby a greater total payload weight can be accommodated.
A need also exists for an extendable trailer which can be extended to carry an increased load and yet meet applicable bridge laws by being extended to a greater length.
A need also exists for such a trailer which can be extended to a greater length for transporting containers on state highways and yet which can be retracted to a shorter length for inner city hauling.